Indicator wheel



May 20, 1941. K. FLADER INDICATOR WHEEL Filed July 9, 1938 /In fe/ltor- KonraccZ FZacZ By f Patented May 20, 11941 INDICATOR WHEEL Konrad VFlacler, Erfurt-Hochheim, Germany, as-

signor to Olympia Buromaschinenwerke A. G.,

Erfurt, Germany Application July 9, 1938, Serial No. 218,471 In Germany July 13, 1937 (Cl. 235--1lA 1 Claim.

This invention relates in the first place to such bodies as are used in registering and calculating machinesI and the like and bear distinguishing marks which, as a rule, are digits or numerals, but may also be formed by characters or symbols. In the second place the invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing such bodies, especially as regards the Wholesale manufacture thereof.

Concerning, for instance, the wholesale manufacture of circular or annular bodies for registering or calculating machines, bearing numerals, a ring that is to bear either projecting or recessed numerals has hitherto been extruded upon a wheel-like central member, the finished ring showing then the respective numerals. In order to render these latter, or their top faces respectively, more easily visible, these faces and the other surface portions of the ring have been differently colored, f. i. said surface portions have been made black and the thus produced body has then either been ground at the top faces of the marks or been provided with a colored coating or both these contrivances liavebeen used.

Manufacturing Ithe bodies with their distinguishing marks (numerals or characters etc.) in the above-stated manner renders the manufacture expensive also in wholesale manufacture. and the bodies are very liable to be damaged by shocks or blows, and it is also diillcult to maintain them in clean state, as a smooth circumferential surface does not exist.

It has been endeavored to obviate these drawbacks by the use of metallic surfaces, or flat metal rings respectively, which bear stamped distinguishing marks, or numerals etc. respectively. and are filled up interiorly with a suitable materia-l, say the same as used for the production of the annular body. There is, indeed, obtained a smooth and more resistible circumferential surface by said method, but the contours of the marks must always b e interrupted where` otherwise enclosed pieces likely to fall out of the ring would arise, in consequence whereof, for instance, such numerals as 0, 6, 8 and 9 are readable only -with greater or lesser dlmcuity, depending upon the more or less particular shape chosen for said numerals.

The above mentioned drawbacks of the knownmarks, viz. marks projecting over said surface,

is covered witha material having another color, this being effected by casting, pressing, extruding, or the like, andin such a manner that only .the top faces of the marks remain visible or become visible when the surplus of the respective material above said faces has been removed by turning or grinding off. Where the marks have h ollow portions, as exists, for instance in the above mentioned numerals 0, 6, 8 and 9 passages are provided in the annular body, and the colored, i. e. otherwise colored material applied onto this body enters into the respective passages whereby these portions of said material are securely retained in place. Matterswill be particularly simplified if the body with its distinguishing marks and the material to be applied onto the body and themarks consist of differently colored artificial m'asses, the last mentioned material forming at the Sametime the outer shape of the body or roller.

In order to make my invention more clear, I

lrefer to the accompanying drawing on which Fig. 1 is a side-view of the inner body, or body proper, without the separate covering, with its projecting distinguishing marks which are numerals, or digits respectively.

Fig. 1a is a frontal view of said body with its marks.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but the body is covered with another material, the lower half which may have a white color, but also any otherY color, preferably yellow, may be used. Of the numerals the digits 6, 8 and 9 (also 0 which is,`

however, not visi-ble in the Figs. 1 and 3) enclose hollow spaces, from whichextend narrow passages c through the ring to the interior thereof. At the inner circumference of the ring a is a low and small ledge d (Figs. la and 2a), the object of which is to secure the proper position of the marks, or numerals respectively, relatively to the exterior shape of the ring while this is being made. 'Ihe body is made by casting the liquid artificial resin or the like into a correspondingly shaped mold (notshown), and in order topprovide for the proper flowing of the material during the casting the ring a is provided with radial stays f, from the centre of which extends outwardly a tubular ingot g.

`When the ring a, together with said stays and said ingot, has been made, that-is to say, when these parts have vcooled down and become rigid, the parts f and y are separated from the ring a which can be carried out quickly in one procedure.

Now the ring with its projecting numerals is placed into another mold (likewise not shown), the ledge d being used to secure the proper position of the ring in this mold, in which the ring is embedded into another mass e preferably of another color. This mass may also be an artificial one, for instance polystyrol, which may be extruded around the ring a with its numerals. An ingot l serves for a good flowing of the hot liquid mass e into said mold, this ingot being a continuation of the huh i. rPhe internal diameter of the said other mold may be such that an annular space remains between the inner circumferential surface of the same and the outer circumferential surface of the ring a,r the radial width of said space being such that the mass covers also the numerals, that is to say, forms a thin layer over them and flows into the passages c.

In the example shown the mass cast into the second mold forms not only an outer ring (e) around the inner one and covers the numerals, as just stated, but forms also a lateral disk h which may have knurls h1, by means of which the finished body may be manually turned, if desired. I Wish it, however, to be understood that the knurled rim is not indispensably requisite.

By the provision of the ingots g and Z the flow of the hot liquid masses into the molds is facilitated and secured.

When the' mass in the second mold has cooled down and hardened, the member l is removed and the above mentioned thin layer of the mass e is turned off until the top faces of the numerals b become visible. This step is to be carried out in a careful manner so that the top faces present a good appearance and can be conveniently read.

'Ihe liquid mass cast into the second mold and entering into the above-mentioned passages c forms therein so-tosay fastening pins for the small portions of the mass laying in the hollow spaces of the numerals (0, 6, 8, 9) which are thereby securelyretained in said spaces.

I wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to circular or annular members as shown merely by way of example, but also any other members, f. i. straight members may be made of two layers of diierently colored masses in the manner described. The masses forming the rim of the body may also be applied onto a metallic body.

I claim:

Indicator wheel for calculating machines and the like, comprising an inner ring-shaped portion of artificial resin, projecting distinguishing marks consisting of the same artificial resin and being integrally provided on the outer rim surface of said portion, said inner ring being provided with radially arranged passages at the existing hollow parts of said marks, an outer portion of articial resin having another appearance surrounding the said inner portion so that the top faces of said marks are 0n the same face level with Vthe outer surface of the outer` portion, a disc-like portion secured to the inner ring-shaped portion by which the iinished wheel may be'manually turned and being integral with said outer portion arranged on one side of said outer portion to strengthen said inner portion, and pins formed on said outer portion extending into and lling said passages.

KONRAD FLADER. 

